Text Neck in Children: A Growing Problem

Walk through any school pickup line, restaurant, or waiting room. You’ll see it everywhere: children hunched over screens, heads tilted forward, spines curved in positions their bodies weren’t designed to hold.

This is text neck—the postural strain from looking down at devices—and it’s affecting children at unprecedented rates. Kids today spend more time on screens than any generation before them. Their developing spines are paying the price.

This isn’t alarmism. It’s physics, biology, and medicine converging on a real problem. Let’s talk about what’s happening, why it matters, and what parents can do.

What Is Text Neck?

Text neck (also called tech neck) is the forward head posture and neck strain caused by looking down at phones, tablets, and other devices.

The mechanics are simple: your head weighs about 10-12 pounds. When it’s balanced over your spine, your neck supports that weight easily. But for every inch your head moves forward, the effective load increases by about 10 pounds.¹

At a 45-degree angle—typical when looking at a phone in your lap—your neck is supporting around 50 pounds of force.¹ That’s like carrying a small child on your neck for hours every day.

In adults, this causes pain and dysfunction. In children, whose spines are still developing, the stakes are higher.

Why Children Are More Vulnerable

Their spines are still forming

Children’s bones and spinal structures aren’t finished developing until late adolescence. Sustained poor posture during growth can affect how the spine develops—potentially creating structural changes that persist into adulthood.

They lack body awareness

Adults can recognize when a position is causing strain. Children are often less aware of their bodies and don’t notice discomfort until it becomes pain.

Their device use is intensive

Kids don’t just use devices—they’re absorbed by them. The intensity of focus means they hold positions longer without moving, without shifting, without looking up.

They’ve never known anything different

Today’s children grew up with devices. They don’t have a baseline of “before screens” to compare to. Poor device posture feels normal to them.

Hours add up quickly

Average screen time for children and teenagers is measured in hours per day—often 4-7 hours or more when school, homework, and leisure are combined.² That’s a massive dose of poor posture daily.

The Impact of Text Neck in Children

Immediate effects

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Upper back pain
• Headaches
• Shoulder tension
• Muscle fatigue

Studies show that a significant percentage of children now report neck and back pain—problems that were once primarily adult complaints. According to the WHO Global Burden of Disease, neck pain is the 8th ranked cause of years lived with disability for 15-19 year olds.³

Long-term concerns

• Structural changes to the developing spine
• Chronic posture problems carrying into adulthood
• Increased risk of disc issues
• Weakened postural muscles
• Normalized poor posture (making it harder to correct later)

While we don’t yet have decades of data on this generation, the biomechanics are clear: prolonged stress in bad positions affects developing structures.

Signs Your Child May Have Text Neck

Watch for:

• Head jutting forward when using devices (or in general)
• Rounded shoulders
• Complaints of neck or back pain
• Headaches, especially after screen use
• Visible hump in upper back
• One shoulder higher than the other
• Difficulty looking up or turning head fully

Don’t just observe them when they know you’re watching—check on them absorbed in a game or video, when their posture is natural.

What Parents Can Do

Set device rules

Device-free times: Meals, one hour before bed, morning routines. Create spaces where screens aren’t present.

Time limits: Pediatric organizations recommend no more than 1-2 hours of recreational screen time for children. This is often exceeded—but even reducing is helpful.

Break requirements: Every 20-30 minutes of screen time, they should look up, move, and change position. Set a timer.

Fix device positioning

The rule: Device at eye level, not in lap. This is the single biggest change.

• Tablets should be propped on a stand, not held flat
• Phones should be held up at face level
• Laptops should be elevated (use books or a stand) with a separate keyboard for extended use

This feels awkward at first. It’s worth enforcing until it becomes habit.

Create ergonomic homework stations

If your child does homework on a computer:

• Screen at eye level
• Chair that supports their back
• Feet on the floor or a footrest
• No working from beds or couches for extended periods

See desk posture exercises for complete setup guidance.

Encourage physical activity

Active kids develop stronger postural muscles. Sports, outdoor play, swimming, gymnastics, martial arts—all help.

The goal isn’t just exercise for its own sake. It’s movement that counters the static, forward-flexed position of device use.

Teach awareness

Help children notice their posture:

• “Where is your head right now?”
• “Check your shoulders—are they forward?”
• “How would you rate your posture right now?”

Kids can learn to self-correct, but they need awareness first.

Model good behavior

If you’re hunched over your phone, your kids will be too. If you hold your phone at eye level, take breaks, and maintain good posture, you’re teaching without lecturing.

Consider exercises

Simple exercises can help, especially if your child already shows signs of text neck. See posture exercises for kids for age-appropriate routines.

Key exercises for children:

• Chin tucks (make it silly—call it “turtle going into shell”)
• Wall angels
• Superman holds
• Cat-cow stretches

Make them fun, keep them short, do them together.

When to Seek Professional Help

See a pediatrician or pediatric physiotherapist if your child has:

• Persistent neck or back pain
• Visible postural abnormalities
• Pain that interferes with activities
• Numbness or tingling
• Headaches that are frequent or severe

Early intervention is easier than correcting entrenched problems.

The Bigger Conversation

This isn’t about demonizing technology. Devices are part of modern life, and children need digital skills.

It’s about recognizing that our bodies evolved for certain conditions, and modern life creates new ones. The solution isn’t elimination—it’s adaptation. Teaching children to use devices while protecting their bodies is a life skill for the 21st century.

The patterns established in childhood often persist. Help your children develop good habits now, and you’re giving them a gift that lasts their entire lives.

Related articles:

• Tech Neck: Complete Guide
• Posture Exercises for Kids and Teenagers
• Forward Head Posture
• How to Fix Bad Posture

The Posture Workout app includes simple, fun routines that work for the whole family. Download it free →

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